whats the difference?

Question

between adopting a cat from a shelter or from a pet store though I no its better to sdopt from a shelter to save a cats life. Though do cats in a pet store have better treatment or something?

Answer 1

When a cat arrives at a shelter, there are professionals there that test the cat, give it parasite control, and evaluate the cat for temperment etc to make sure it is an adoptable animal. There are so many wonderful animals at the shelters waiting for good homes! In a pet store, they are only looking to make a profit, so wouldn't waste their money on tests and other issues. Good luck!

Answer 2

I think that alot of stores like Petsmart use adoption agencies to bring in cats for adoption, so in that case there would not be a difference. I feel that pet stores who do not use shelters to adopt out cats probably pay less attention to the animals they are selling. They may get attention from potential buyers, but they are not handled as much as they might be in a shelter where volunteers put in their time and effort to socialize and tame the animals so they have a better chance of being adopted.

On the other hand, cats (and dogs) who are taken to shelters sometimes come from an abusive home or a home where they were not wanted. Therefore, these cats can sometimes be just as anti-social. I have only one cat that is very anti-social and not very friendly and she came from a pet store and from a litter of 5 kittens. I don't think they had very much attention. All my other strays or shelter cats are very loving. Who knows? It could be certain breeds.

Point being, every cat needs a good home and if you handle the cat before adopting it, you will know right away if the two of you will bond well or not. Good luck finding a kitty!

Answer 3

No, probably they do not. The cats for adoption in the pet store sometimes come from the shelter. Try to get paperwork on their neutering, shots and anything else that could be important. For exmaple, did the cat come up positive for FIV or FLV? Then prepare to spend a little time with the cat that interests you. Are all the cats in the shelter/pet store drugged up on catnip? If any cat has some kind of wild behavior in the store or shelter, like scattering cat litter everywhere uncontrolably or attacking other cats constantly, you might think about looking further to find another cat that pulls at your heartstrings. These behaviors do not always get better with time, love and patience.

Answer 4

The cats from the shelter have been vet checked and probably are also neutered/spayed, and have gotten at least some of their shots.

The ones at the pet store have likely been dropped off by a person whose cat had a litter and the store paid $5 each or took them for free, offering no vet options at all.

I've adopted from our local shelter, and also bought one young cat from the pet store, and I had a lot of vet bills getting the pet store kitty stabalized that first week, he had diarhea from the foods they fed him and was severely dehydrated.

Adopt from the shelter, they back up their care and have an eye on any problem the cats in their care may have.

Answer 5

Unpedigreed cats in a pet store are unwanted kittens that are given to the pet store. The pet store makes you buy like $50 worth of their products (kitty litter, kitten food, catbox, toys, etc.) and will then "throw in" the kitten. They are generally not given shots, may have all kinds of parasites (including worms and fleas) and may not be in the best of health.
Ditto the so-called "animal shelter" (actually murdering grounds) kitties, although if they're kittens and they're cute, the overworked staff will make an effort to deworm, vaccinate, spay or neuter, and sometimes chip the animal. They will charge you a substantial price for this service. The local shelter here wanted $120 for a kitten, and I had to wait like 10 days to get it. I went thru a service called Greyfoot that doesn't put down animals (they are a rescue service.) My cat Buddy came already neutered, vaccinated, and chipped (if he's ever lost and someone has a scanner, they will be able to identify him.) He cost $85 and was worth EVERY penny. Even better, the $$$ goes directly back to Greyfoot for cat food, medications, etc.
Your local Humane society has a similar program to Greyfoot and they are as deserving of support as any other. You have several choices, if you want to go through a rescue service--just research what's available in your area.
Your best bet, if you want a "free" kitten, is the newspaper ads. People will say "free to good home," blah blah blah. When choosing a kitten, look for one that is not overly timid or scared, that is bright-eyed and doesn't have drainage or crusty stuff around it's eyes or nose, is very playful, and purrs really loud when you pick it up. They should be approximately 8-10 weeks old when you adopt one. If you get one earlier, they may need special attention from mama cat that will make them a little neurotic later on in life (ie, they may suck on blankets, drool, etc. At least that's my experience.)
There may be a couple of fleas on the little thing, but don't get one that's just crawling with them.
If she's available, check out mama cat. Is she healthy looking? Is she skinny or sleek? If mom has troubles, chances are the kittens will too.
You can take care of getting kitty to the vet for its general checkup, vaccinations, spaying or neutering, etc. You should also check with your local cat clinic or Humane society to see if they offer these services at a reduced rate. They also may have healthy kittens available. Good luck and happy hunting!
PS--in re-reading your note, I noticed you said "cat" not "kitten." The same criteria goes for adopting an adult cat--bright-eyed, alert, interested and not afraid of you, and purrs when you stroke it or pick it up. Ya want em cuddly, not growly! ;-)

Answer 6

No, and they often have health problems that a shelter would detect and take care of- Just get one from a shelter, they actually recieve the better treatment.

Answer 7

I'll just add my "get it from a shelter" vote to the mix, as I feel it has been well explained by previous answers.